Lian-Li has announced two new brushed aluminum mini-ITX PC cases: PC-Q27 and PC-Q28. These two compact cases feature Lian Li’s new railing mount motherboard tray design, and allow for the mini-ITX platform to be combined with traditional full-sized components.

In addition to the new motherboard tray, both of Lian Li’s new mini-ITX cases have a new side panel removal design. After removing a single screw, the side panel easily slides off with minimal effort.

PC-Q27

The PC-Q27 is an ideal case for a small form factor office PC, HTPC, or gaming rig. With dimensions of 7.8 x 11.8 x 9.4 inches (200 mm x 300 mm x 240 mm), the PC-Q27 is slightly taller than its predecessor, the PC-Q07, thanks to the front and rear feet stands raising the case off the ground. The PC-Q27 is also wider and deeper allowing for longer video cards, up to 7.6 inches (195 mm), to fit.

Up to three 3.5” hard drives can fit inside the PC-Q27 with one of the 3.5” drives using the 5.25” drive bay space. For builders wanting to take advantage of the high speeds of solid state drives (SSDs), a single 2.5” drive can be installed on the bottom of the case. One more SSD can be installed in place of a 3.5” drive on the front HDD cage.

The PC-Q27 features passive cooling design, due to less heat generation from mini-ITX systems. Significant ventilation along the bottom and rear of the chassis keeps the internal components cool. For users who do want additional cooling, a 120 mm fan can be installed on the bottom of the PC-Q27 once the bottom hard drive cage is taken out.

The front of the PC-Q27 features the elegant brushed aluminum look that Lian Li is known for. The only non-aluminum part of the front is the dual LED illuminated power button that glows blue when on and red while loading. The I/O panel with two USB 3.0 ports is located on the right side of the front of the chassis, so there is no interruption of the elegant aesthetics.

PC-Q28

The update of the PC-Q18, the PC-Q28 is the ideal gaming, LAN, or home server case. The PC-Q28 can hold video cards up to 11.4 inches (290 mm) in length, as well as seven hard drives (in multiple 3.5” and 2.5” setup variations).

For DIY (do-it-yourself) builders who like to tweak and modify the internals of cases, both of the PC-Q28’s hard drive cages are removable with a few twists of thumbscrews and screws. This gives an internal blank compartment for modding enthusiasts.

The PC-Q28, with dimensions of 8.9 x 12.0 x 13.5 inches (227 mm x 305 mm x 345 mm), sits up off the ground thanks to its front and rear feet stands much like the PC-Q27. This is especially important since the Lian Li PC-Q28 does not have visible front ventilation. Instead, the front 140mm fan pulls in air from a vent on the bottom of the chassis, which reduces system noise, while providing effective cooling. The dust filter over the vent prevents dust from coming in. For expelling hot air out of the chassis, there is a top 120 mm fan.

Also, similar to the PC-Q27, the front of the PC-Q28 features the elegant brushed aluminum look that Lian Li is known for, with a dual LED illuminated power button. Two USB 3.0 ports and audio connections are located on the right side of the front of the chassis.

The PC-Q27 and PC-Q28 will be available in May in the USA for the suggested retail price of USD 78.99 and USD 118.99 respectively.